FACULTY PROFILE: MICHAEL GORO

Seeing the Sublime Amongst Decay

The American Academy of Art doesn’t just graduate amazing artists; it also employs highly accomplished, internationally recognized artists among its ranks of excellent instructors. Painter and printmaker Michael Goro is one terrific and compelling example.

In addition to serving as chair for the Graphic Design Department at the Academy – overseeing all aspects of the department – Goro is an exceedingly prolific and accomplished artist. He has showcased his work in more than 100 national and international exhibitions to date.

Goro received his first international award 18 years ago in Japan at the 1998 International Print Triennial in Kanagawa. This propelled the next phase of his career as a professional artist. Since then, 18 public collections along with numerous private ones spanning nine countries have acquired his work.

When asked to describe his artistic style and inspiration, Goro explains, “I see myself as a storyteller. I develop emotional narratives about human experiences deriving from architectural forms and material objects. I’m fascinated by the profound humanity underlying this decaying material world.”

During the last ten years, Goro has been working on the painting series “Material Culture,” which, in his words: “Explores the cultural manifestation through built environments, manufactured spaces, and objects of culture that have become repositories of local specificity across Europe, North and South America, Asia and Russia.”

Goro with former students Elsa Munoz and Cindy Bernhard.

Goro is currently working on a series of oil paintings on Cuba as part of the “Material Culture” project and will be traveling to Greece in June for a group of paintings he is developing with his Paris-based art dealer.